Dr. Marc Edwards Does Not Support Snyder Recall, Blames MDEQ & EPA

In the face of tragedy, heroes have emerged in the Flint Water Crisis.

One of them is Dr. Marc Edwards from Virginia Tech, the drinking water expert who confirmed the suspicions of local residents-turned-activists regarding lead in Flint’s drinking water. His work provided these activists the support they needed to fight the bureaucrats who tried to cover up the disaster they allowed.

Last week I interviewed Dr. Edwards and was surprised by what I learned:

1) Dr Edwards does not support the recall of Governor Snyder.

2) When he read the emails they obtained through FOIA, he said his “faith in politicians” was “affirmed,” mentioning Governor Snyder and former Flint Mayor Dayne Walling specifically: “I’ve gotta say, I have been pleasantly surprised by the former mayor and your current governor for accepting more than their share of blame for what has happened here, and getting on the same page trying to get help to Flint residents.” He also said, “I have been very impressed by the governor.”

3) Edwards primarily blames officials at MDEQ and EPA for this public health emergency in Flint. “Good people are being destroyed at these agencies and weak cowards are being promoted and keep their jobs.”

4) He affirmed what he said at the Rachel Maddow Town Hall Meeting held in Flint, that digging up the lead services lines could make the situation worse. He did also say that his concerns had been addressed and he was now on board with the plan which has emerged in cooperation between state and local leaders to replace those pipes.

5) He figures there is an 80% chance that the water in Flint would already meet the minimum standards of a full blown lead and copper rule test. He noted that the EPA is working on identifying the required sample sites needed to complete this test. For now, understandably, everyone is erring on the side of caution.

6) When asked about trust, and the need to replace the pipes in order to regain trust, Edwards remarked that you can’t trust the water even after replacing the pipes. Vigilance is required. He also hopes to make Flint a model city for the country when it comes to replacing lead pipes in the right way.

7) Until a full lead and copper rule test can be performed, he said he doesn’t recommend that people test their homes individually, because results may vary until the system as a whole has been corrected and tested.

8) For now, residents of Flint should drink only bottled water or water filtered at the faucet. Whole home filters do not filter the water at the point of consumption, and so should not be relied upon.

We are very fortunate to have Dr. Edwards involved in addressing this public health crisis in Flint. See the video below for a more in-depth explanation of who he believes the "bad actors" are in the Flint water crisis, or click here to listen to the full 22-minute interview.